Almond-Stuffed Baked Apples

On January 24, 1984, Apple Computer introduced audiences to its new computer, the Macintosh.  The introduction, by way of a landmark 60-second Superbowl commercial, promised users that they would “see why 1984 won’t be like [George Orwell’s] 1984.”

The commercial owed its creation to the director Ridley Scott, who had recently filmed Blade Runner.  The Macintosh computer owed its creation to Jef Raskin, one of Apple’s legendary computer makers.  As does the computer’s trade name; McIntosh apples, legend has it, were Jef Raskin’s favorite type of apple.

And it’s easy to see why.  McIntosh apples have a distinctive taste that is at once sweet and tart, a product of their New England roots and the region’s distinctive weather and soil.  This duality makes the McIntosh perfect for cooking and eating out of hand.

The McIntosh takes its name from, John McIntosh, who found seedlings for the tree while clearing land on his Ontario farm in 1811.  We have Mr. McIntosh’s serendipitous discovery to thank for these

Almond-Stuffed Baked Apples

Recipe from Cooking Light Dessert.

PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 40 minutes
YIELD: 8 apple halves

WHAT TO GRAB:
FILLING:
1/2 cup almonds, toasted
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoon butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 egg white, beaten

APPLES:
4 apples, halved (I like McIntosh, but Fuji and Braeburn add color)
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

HOW YOU DO IT:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place the almonds in a food processor and process until finely ground.  Combine the ground almonds, 1/4 cup sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, nutmeg, and egg white, and stir until well combined.

3. Core the apples very carefully, being sure that the core is not too large. You don’t want the filling to leak out of the apples. Cut a thin slice off the rounded side of each apple so it will sit flat. Combine 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and generously sprinkle the combination over the apples. Finally, spoon about 1 tablespoon of the filling into the center of each apple.

4. Bake for 30 minutes if using McIntosh and bake for 40 minutes if using Fuji or Braeburn.  The McIntosh are prone to explode if cooked for too long.  Serve warm!